Rescue Reversal
by Jade-Max
Summary: Challenge fic. Kimberly gets to rescue Tommy for a switch


June 2008

**Title: Rescue Reversal**

**Author:** **Jade-Max**

**Rating: ****T (ages 13+) (to be safe)**

**Disclaimer:** Power Rangers and their affiliates belong to Disney and are used without permission and no money is being made off of this. I'm simply destroying the sandcastles in their sandbox

**Author Notes:** My Thanks to Cathy for letting me adopt this adorable little plot bunny and take it home!

**Teh Bunny****: **

Story Type: Canon  
Timeline: Anytime S1 thru S3  
Rating: PG-PG13 at most

-Tommy is hurt badly (but not too badly - not "near death" badly) in battle and Kim comes to his rescue/aide. (The show always had Kim getting rescued, I'd like to see the tables turned.)

-You choose timeline:

- Is Tommy the Green Ranger or White Ranger?

- Is Jason, Trini and Zach around or is it Rocky, Adam, and Aisha?

-The story can be 'the battle' OR the battle can be part of a larger story -your choice-.  
-The main concept of this challenge is a sweet, touching scene between the two of them either right after he's injured or later while he's recuperating. I want mush people!!

--

Rescue Reversal

Angel Grove wasn't what people would call a sleepy town. One didn't move there to escape the hustle and bustle of a big city, nor did they come because the atmosphere was restful. It was a good thing Tommy Oliver hadn't come to Angel Grove for rest or relaxation. Tommy Oliver wasn't your typical teenager, but he like others, had come for one very specific reason.

Angel Grove was the home of the Power Rangers - and the focus of Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd's attacks.

The only difference between Tommy Oliver and other people who'd come to Angel Grove in the hopes of seeing the fantastical heroes was a very well kept secret. Tommy Oliver was a former Power Ranger. Powers or not, he shared a unique bond with the quintet originally chosen by Zordon - one that hadn't been broken by his removal from the Power team. After a prolonged absence in which he'd struggled with the final loss of his powers as the Green Ranger, he'd returned to his friends; he'd come home.

This particular Saturday had started like any other Saturday. The Rangers had been enjoying a day in the park, basking in each other's presence and celebrating.

Tommy's return was a big one - he'd been home for less than three days - and not only had he come home, but he'd been returned to the Power Team full time. His return to Angel Grove would start a new chapter in his relationship with Kimberly and while Zordon had made him the new team leader when he'd bestowed the White Powers, Tommy was still the same Tommy - if only a little more reserved.

Kimberly had noted it, but she hadn't commented on it, too happy to have him home to waste time on such a petty observation. Tommy had come back to her and that was all that mattered.

Today, she hauled him away from the other Rangers, sticking her tongue out at Jason and Zach when they made to tease her about monopolizing him. It was all in good fun - all of the Rangers knew Kimberly had spent the better part of Tommy's absence moping about and wanting to see him. Having him back was like a dream come true.

Tommy, for his part, didn't voice so much as a protest. Instead he'd slung an arm about Kim's shoulders and winked at the guys. "Can you blame me for wanting to spend my Saturday with the most beautiful brunette in Angel Grove instead of looking at your ugly mugs?"

Waved away, they started out around the lake, Tommy's arm dropping from her shoulders - to Kimberly's dismay - but she compensated by hooking one hand into the crook of his elbow. He was a little taken aback - they didn't have a very touchy relationship all things considered - but didn't protest. Kim stepped closer, resting her head on his bicep with a soft sigh.

"I'm so glad you're home, Tommy."

"Me too."

Squeezing his arm, she was paying more attention to him than she was the pathway. "Did you miss us?"

"Of course." He slanted a look down at her and smiled warmly. "I missed you most of all, Kim. Thanks for keeping in touch."

She straightened, surprised. "We're friends, Tommy. Why wouldn't I have kept in touch?"

"I dunno." He shrugged uncomfortably, looking away. "I guess a part of me figured you'd be too busy - that you really didn't need me any more since I wasn't a Ranger."

Hauling him to a stop, Kimberly spun him towards her and placed her hand on her hips. "What a ridiculous thing to say, Tommy Oliver! You're not my friend because you're a Power Ranger - you weren't even a Ranger when I said yes to you asking me to that dance - how could you think I'd be so shallow?"

Tommy had the grace to flush and look contrite. "Not you, Kim - never you."

"Then what, Tommy?

For a second he seemed to hesitate but then, slowly, he opened up to her. "It's a part of my own insecurities, not how I feel about you. You know better than anyone how hard it was for me to lose my Green Ranger Powers - and you stuck by me." He smiled shyly. "I never did thank you for that."

"You don't have to thank me; it's what friends do."

He grasped her hands in his, pulling her close as their gazes locked and held, clinging as silent communication arced between them. Words failed him as Tommy tried to tell her with his gaze that she was more than his friend, more than his best friend - that she was the reason he believed in himself. She was his rock, his pillar - calm in the center of the whirlwind of his emotional turmoil. Without her, he wouldn't have been able to pull through everything he'd faced.

Running his thumb over the back of her hand, so reminiscent of the first time they'd kissed, he spoke - but the words held more power than just their context for all they were barely a whisper. "You're more than just my best friend, Kim."

"More?"

"Yeah." He smiled, a little uncertainly in that endearing manner of his. "We've been unofficial for a while now I was thinking that, maybe, if you want to that is, we could-"

"Yes."

Tommy's fingers tightened about hers with her breathless agreement. "Really?"

"Really."

"Oh man!" The ecstatic smile that blossomed across his face was uninhibited. "You really mean it?"

"I wouldn't tease you about something like this."

"You did before."

A blush stained Kimberly's cheeks as she stepped incrementally closer. "I wouldn't now. I missed you too much. It was like... like..."

"Like a part of me was missing."

She stared at him, stunned. He'd quietly inserted himself into the phrase, but that was it exactly. "Tommy, I-"

"This is so sweet it's going to give me cavities."

The moment was shattered as they whirled to face the tauntingly familiar voice.

"Goldar!" Tommy and Kimberly side stepped, taking opposite stances that automatically put their backs to one another. "I was wondering when you'd make your next appearance, Monkey Brain. You've got lousy timing."

Goldar laughed, brandishing his sword. "Such words from someone who once worked beside me; I think you hurt my feelings!"

"I'll hurt more than your feelings, zi-_yah_!"

Kimberly ducked as the putty patrol appeared and Tommy lunged for Goldar. Flipping backwards, she hit the ground and dropped into a split, scissor kicking as she rolled to one side. Two Putties hit the deck in quick succession and she nailed a third and a fourth as she regained her feet. Launching herself without pause into a backward handspring tumble, she outdistanced the Putties to get a momentary look at the fight.

Not good.

She and Tommy were outnumbered, Tommy taking Goldar on one on one without being morphed. Stupid, loveable idiot - he was going to get himself killed. Ducking as one of the Putties lunged at her, she spun, taking it down with a quick two kick to the chest - and left her with a clear view of Tommy and Goldar.

"Tommy - _look out_!"

Tommy ducked and deliberately collapsed, barely avoiding a sneaky backswing from Goldar that had been aimed at his knees. He regained his feet and backed away as Kimberly sent another couple of Putties flying. They met in the center of the melee, back to back, and began to walk in a slow circle to keep an eye on their opponents.

"We should call the others."

"They'll jump us before we can."

Goldar laughed. "Quite the dilemma, little Rangers. Can you beat us without your friends?"

"Ready Kim?"

"When you are."

"Let's do this - it's morphin' time!"

"Tiger Zord!"

"Pterodactyl!"

Morphing quickly into battle mode, the White and Pink Rangers exchanged looks and threw themselves into identical back flips. Putties disintegrated as the Pink Ranger's fists and feet connected with the stylized "Z" in the center of their chests, evening the odds as the White Ranger pulled Saba - his magical saber - and met Goldar head on.

Lunging at Goldar, the White Ranger parried the backstroke and returned with another of his own. The White Rangers lunged in, spinning out of the way from an over handed chop, but unable to press his advantage as Goldar's backhanded bare fist caught him in the chest. He stumbled, forcing himself to move beyond range before turning back to meet Goldar.

Like usual, they were evenly matched.

The gold monster had learned from previous fights, just as the White Ranger had and neither was getting the upper hand. It was then that the Pink Ranger saw it as she was snap kicking another Putty into pieces. Back, almost hidden in the trees beyond where the White Ranger and Goldar fought, was another creature. A green and brown monster of some kind with a weapon in hand she'd have recognized anywhere.

"_Tommy - look out!_"

He dodged another of Goldar's attacks, but his back was to where the creature was taking aim - and the Pink Ranger knew with a sinking sensation that she'd never reach him in time. She turned mid-lunge, landing on the balls of her feet and springing towards the fight. "_Behind you_!"

The White Ranger heeded her warning just as the arrow was loosed from the shaft and the Pink Ranger's feet left the ground. The arrow struck a moment before she did, sliding in between the shoulder and chest pieces of the White Ranger's armor as she tackled him to the ground. Her arms encircled his waist, but she rolled as they hit, taking the brunt of the impact and preventing the arrow from being driven any deeper. Goldar's sword was sweeping in as she landed, the weight of her fellow Ranger driving the breath from her lungs and pinning her to the ground. She did the only thing she could think of - reaching for his wrist, she teleported them away to the Command Center.

"Zordon!"Kimberly scrambled to her feet, pulling her helmet off and tossing it to the side before quickly unclasping Tommys and doing the same. "Zordon!"

"Yes, Kimberly?"

"Tommy's been hurt."

"I'm alri-ugh."

"You've got an arrow in your shoulder," Kimberly told him smartly, kneeling beside him and trying to ignore the red stain that was spreading from the wound - not just on his pristine uniform, but on her gloves and shoulder as well. Helping him sit up, she examined the entry point at the joint of his right shoulder."I think it only hit the joint."

"It hurts like hell."

"You're lucky it hurts at all; if you hadn't dodged when you did-"

"Hey." Tommy's left hand closed about her fingers where they lay against his shoulder and squeezed, reassuring her despite the amount of pain he was in. "I'll be okay and I've you to thank for that, Kim."

"You'd have done the same for me."

"The arrow appears to have been designed to penetrate the armor you wear as Rangers." Zordon was already analyzing the battle data, his tone concerned. "The creature, Bowery, has been equipped with an item of power not unlike the sword of darkness and the bow must be destroyed before the creature can be vanquished."

"Tell Billy, Zordon, and let the others know where it is; I've got to stop this bleeding." Kimberly almost snapped the order, taking off her gloves and using them to form a padding to apply around the arrow which still stuck out of Tommy's back. "Alpha!"

"Yes, Kimberly?"

"I need you to scan Tommy - I need to know if it's safe to pull the arrow out."

"Kim-"

"If I leave it in, it'll do more damage - do _you_ want to explain to a hospital staff how you got hurt?"

Tommy snapped his lips shut and watched her work instead. He couldn't see what she was doing to his back but every time she touched the shaft it echoed along his nerve endings and made his jaw clench in the effort not to scream. Alpha and Kimberly conversed behind him, and he instead kept his eyes on the viewing globe as Jason, Trini, Billy and Zach appeared to take on the new monster.

It was readily obvious that Goldar was protecting the new creation and the Rangers were outnumbered with both Goldar and Bowery and the dozens of Putties that scattered the fight.

"They need your help, Kim."

"They can wait." Without looking up from what she was doing, Kimberly reached down and pulled Saba from his sheath.

"Woah, wait!" Tommy gripped her wrist. "What are you doing?"

"I was thinking about cutting off some of this length so I can get a better grip."

His fingers around her wrist eased. "A better grip for what?"

"Yes indeed - you're not the White Ranger."

Kimberly made a face at the magical talking saber as it chose to add its two cents and shook it. "Do you want to continue helping the White Ranger, Saba?"

"Of course."

"Then you need to help me." She turned her attention to Tommy, her expression softening slightly, the worry in her brown eyes clear. "This is going to hurt, Tommy, but I have to pull it out. Alpha's scans show it's begun to burrow into your body and will eventually hit something vital if I don't."

Looking back to the Viewing Globe, Tommy braced himself for the pain. "Then do it - just be quick, Kim. They need our help."

Grasping the shaft in one hand, Kimberly smiled faintly, "You're in no shape to run off and play hero."

"I don't think-"

"Saba," Tommy's tone brokered no argument as he cut off whatever the saber was about to say. "You're going to help Kim in any way she needs - got it?"

There was no answer forthcoming from the magical sword, but Kimberly took it as a sign of cooperation when the resistance on moving the blade suddenly eased. With one smooth movement, she pulled Saba back and cut through the shaft just below the fletching. Tommy let out a grunt and bit back a moan as she gripped the shaft and pulled.

Kimberly all but dropped the arrow as Tommy suddenly and neatly folded forward limply, dropping to her knees beside him in panic. "Tommy!"

"He is unconscious, Kimberly," Zordon assured her, as unflappable as ever. "The pain may have been too great for him to bear."

Reassured, Kimberly checked for his pulse and found it as steady - if a trifle fast - as normal. She brushed his hair back and resumed her braced position behind him, swallowing the guilt of what she was about to do. "It's probably a blessing, Zordon" the Pink Ranger assured him, taking up the still embedded shaft. Wincing, she placed her foot in the center of Tommy's back for better leverage. "Alpha, hold him."

The robot did as instructed and then Kimberly realigned her grip. "I'm sorry, Tommy."

With a heave, she yanked the deeply buried shaft from its resting place. Flesh tore as it pulled free and she stumbled, dropping the crimson soaked weapon before taking up the make-shift bandage of her gloves and quickly pressing it into the wound. Blood welled around the bandage for a moment before the fabric seemed to absorb it. Applying pressure, Kimberly tucked the fabric under the overlapping plates of his armor to keep the pressure constant.

Sitting back, she examined her handiwork as she swiped the back of one bloodied hand across her brow. The robotic automaton had moved away once the arrow was free and was now scanning the White Ranger. Tommy, for his part, hadn't moved throughout the procedure - but he should have been waking up shortly.

"How's he doing, Alpha?"

"Still unconscious - the good news is that the arrow didn't break when you pulled it out so the wound should close nicely."

"That's a relief." Kimberly took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves and found she was shaking - a belated reaction to having come so close to losing him again? "Do we have anything to bandage him up with, Alpha? If I re-morph to help the guys my gloves will disappear and we need to keep pressure on that hole."

"I'll check."

Kimberly waited until Alpha was gone before giving into the case of the shakes. Nausea roiled in her stomach and she crawled to the side of the main computer bank before being sick over the step. The image of Tommy's injury was fresh in her mind, the sight of it - both with and without the arrow - ricocheting about in her head. _He's fine_, she told herself silently, looking back at him as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. _Tommy'll pull through this, it's not like it hit anything vital and he's always been a fighter._

Maybe that was the problem.

Her gaze strayed to the viewing globe just as Zach tackled Trini, taking her out of the way of one of Bowery's arrows. Jason appeared a moment later, the arms of his suit in tatters where near misses had shredded the spandex. Glancing nervously around, Kimberly looked for Alpha. "They need me, Zordon, I can't wait for Alpha.":

"Un-Morph," Zordon's urgency was plain in his voice. "There is little in the Command Center Alpha will be able to use for bandages. If you use a piece of your normal clothing, it will not change or disappear as will your gloves."

"Right." Kimberly powered down, noting how blood welled back to the surface almost immediately as the gloves being used to pad Tommy's wound disappeared. Hauling her dress over her head, it left her in a form fitting pink practice leotard - but she didn't spare it a second thought. Before she could think about what she was doing - or how she would eventually have to explain the loss of her dress to her mother - she grasped one sleeve in her teeth and gave a vicious tug.

The dry ripping sound of fabric tearing was audible over the muffled sounds of battle as Kimberly worked quickly. She tore off four long strips from the body of the dress - running shoulder to shoulder - before folding the rest into a quick squareish section. Pressing it tightly against Tommy's wound, she tucked it into his armor as she had the gloves, leaving her bloodied hands free to tie the bandage lengths. She trussed him up first, wrapping two of the lengths of fabric around his shoulder and tying them off over the pad for more pressure.

An agonized moan escaped from Tommy but she didn't stop, moving next to sit beside him and arranged one of the long pieces of fabric into a makeshift sling. The last piece was used to wrap around his chest, anchoring the arm to his body so he wouldn't move it. The bandages would stay once he unmorphed, but there was no telling how tight they'd be over his clothing.

He whimpered, seeming to stir, and tears threatened at the sound. Giving into the impulse, she wrapped her arms about his neck and buried her face in the soft fall of his hair. Refusing to cry - Kimberly resolved she had time for that after Bowery was defeated - she settled for hugging him tightly. Tommy leaned into her embrace, but it was an unconscious move - but a gratifying one.

Pulling herself away, Kimberly rose to her feet, unmindful of the crimson stains on her hands, arms and bodysuit. "Zordon?"

"Yes Kimberly?

"Don't let Tommy unmorph until the bleeding stops and don't let him teleport into help us. He's in no shape to fight and he'll only hurt himself more."

"Alpha and I will keep an eye on him."

"Thanks." Kimberly knelt next to Tommy and, with a twinge of conscience, reached into his left glove. His skin was smooth under her questing fingers and heat flared in her cheeks as she slid her fingers down the length of his forearm. It was an intimate gesture and one she'd never dared before despite her practical consideration. Her fingers closed over the clasp of his communicator, trembling as she fumbled to get it undone. With a soft _click_ it came free and she pulled it free. Daringly, she cupped his face and ran her thumb over his cheek in apology. "Sorry Handsome, I can't let you play White Knight today."

"Is that wise, Kimberly?"

"Probably not," she strapped Tommy's communicator to her wrist, just above her own as she regained her feet. "But it's the only way I know to keep him here. Without it, he has to have you and Alpha teleport him manually."

"Be careful, Kimberly and may the Power protect you."

"Thanks Zordon. It's morphin' time!"

"Pterodactyl!"

The Pink Ranger rejoined the fight just as the other Rangers were attempting to take on Bowry. Blue and Yellow were keeping the Putty Patrol busy as Black and Red faced off against Goldar and the monster. Blue and Yellow were back to back, kicking out with impressive speed and agility as they wound their way around and around through the mass of Putties, eliminating threat after threat - but Zedd or someone was trying a new tactic and always more replaced those lose.

Black and Red had their power weapons out - the Power Sword and Power Axe - and were engaged in close in combat with Goldar. Red, always Goldar's nemesis, was trading blows with Goldar, taking a hit for every one he landed. Black was faring no better, the only upside to being in close was that Bowry couldn't use his weapon.

Pink dropped in behind the Rangers, feeling a twinge of guilt as she made no move to announce herself or to help. Instead she focused beyond the Putties and Goldar to where Bower was fighting with Black. Summoning her Power bow, she cleared her mind of everything but the task at hand, Tommy's limp and unconscious form hovering on the back of her eyelids. It was the crimson stain on his usually pristine uniform that made her stomach roil and gave her focus.

Bower couldn't be allowed to harm anymore of her friends.

Waiting, silent and unobserved, she notched an arrow and watched for an opening. It came with a sudden flip and twirl of Black's feet as Bower was knocked backwards, just far enough to consider loosing an arrow. Pink was first, releasing the bolt already resting against the string of her bow. There was no thought to adding another shot to the first - it simply happened.

Bower reeled, letting out a cry of dismay as the projectile from the Pink Ranger's bow slammed into his own, knocking it free of his hands. The second arrow landed with deadly accuracy in the center of his chest, forcing him up and back and literally throwing him out and away from the Black Ranger.

"That was for Tommy!"

"Yah! Kim! Awesome timing."

Distracted, Goldar was slammed back by Red even as Pink leapt towards them. With a graceful somersault, she vaulted over Goldar's ducked head and landed near Black, her back to Red's. The Power Bow was dismissed with a thought as she pulled the blaster from her side. Flipping it over, she aimed at the pulsing bow on the ground between them and Bower. Without a word, she pulled the trigger even as Bower's dismayed shout echoed through the clearing.

"No!"

The weapon disintegrated under the blast and Pink quickly holstered the weapon, calling on her Power Bow once more.

The battle was over in an embarrassingly short time from there, the Putties disappearing with Goldar as they left the suddenly defenseless Bower to fend for himself. Without the distractions of Goldar and the Putty Patrol, the Rangers quickly put their weapons together to form the Power Blaster, eliminating the monster for good. Once it disintegrated, it was rather clear that the creature had never been anything but monster.

The Red Ranger reached out to squeeze Pink's shoulder. "Good job, Kim."

"Are you guys okay?" She turned to look at them, concerned. "You didn't get hit by one of his arrows did you?"

Sharing a look the Rangers did a cursory inspection of one another before Blue shook his head. "That's a confirmed negative, Kimberly. Despite our state of disarray, the damage appears to be superficial."

Pink turned her head towards Yellow for a translation.

"What Billy means is that we're all fine."

"Exactly."

"Well Tommy's not; I need to get back to the Command Center."

"We'll go with you."

The Pink Ranger wasn't about to object help from her friends - and help her they would. Tommy needed to be moved to the observation table set up just outside the computer bank in the Command Center and she wasn't strong enough to handle him no matter how much she wished otherwise. Had it been her, Tommy would simply have scooped her up and moved her.

Teleporting back to the command center, Pink let the Morph fade as she knelt next to Tommy. "Tommy?"

"There is no change yet, Kimberly," Alpha told her reasonably. "His body may still be in shock."

"Uh, Kim?"

Kimberly didn't look up as Jason placed a hand on her shoulder. "Yeah?"

"Are you sure you're not hurt?"

Blinking, she looked up at him surprised. "Yeah - why?"

"You're covered in blood."

"It's Tommy's," the words caught in her throat as she checked on Tommy's bandage. "Zordon, has the bleeding stopped?"

"Your efforts were successful, Kimberly." Zordon's assurance allowed some of the tension to ebb from her shoulders. "However, the wound is quite deep and Tommy will require several days of recuperation to return to full strength. The longer he can stay in uniform the less time it will take."

"Then we'll need to tell his parents something."

"I'll handle that," Jason volunteered, squeezing Kimberly's shoulder as he did. "If it were me, he'd do the same. Are you going to keep him here, Zordon?"

"The risk of someone discovering his identity is too great should he leave the Command Center in his current condition."

"I'll sit with him," Billy volunteered. "I can monitor his vital-"

"No!" Kimberly whirled on Billy, and the genius took a step back in surprise. "No. I'm staying. I need you and Trini to tell my mom not to worry."

"Kim-"

"No, Jason," she was already shaking her head, knowing what form his denial was about to take. Her tone turned from steely to pleading. "I can't go; I just got him back."

Jason looked undecided for a moment, but the look on Kimberly's face must have convinced him. "Alright, Kim, I'll let your mom know too."

"What are you going to tell her?"

"What else?" He slanted a look at Trini. "We're going on a camp out weekend."

"I can't ask you guys to give up your weekend." Kimberly's protest was immediate, her gaze dropping back to Tommy.

"We're a team, Kim," Zach told her pointedly. "We wouldn't be giving up our weekends, we'd be watching out for one of our own."

Trini seemed to catch the reason Kimberly didn't want them around and stepped in before Kimberly's protests could become suspect. Sure, everyone took for granted that she and Tommy were a couple – unofficially – but Trini could tell Kim wanted the White Ranger to herself, even if it was just to nurse him back to health. "I think Kim's right, guys. Tommy wouldn't want all of us to give up our weekends to look after him, I mean, none of you would want us to if you were in his position."

The boys shared uncomfortable looks, acknowledging that she had a point.

Knowing she'd won, Trini reached over to grab Kim's hand and squeezed. "The camp out story's not a bad one. My parents are away for the weekend so we can use my place."

"Zordon, could we watch Tommy at Trini's place?"

"With her parents out of their home, it is an acceptable alternative. We can monitor his condition from here and ensure there are no changes. There is no doubt that he would be more comfortable convalescing somewhere more familiar."

"Then it's settled." Kimberly squeezed Trini's have gratefully before letting go and turned her attention back to Tommy. "Zordon?"

"It would be prudent for someone to return to Angel Grove and ensure the house is deserted before I have Alpha teleport Tommy."

"We'll all go," Zach assured Zordon before anyone could say otherwise. "Kim can stay with Tommy while we check out Trini's. It'll give us a chance to get things set up and talk to their parents too."

There was no further discussion as the other four Rangers teleported away, leaving Tommy and Kimberly in the Command Center control room. Easing to the floor, Kimberly lifted Tommy's head and placed it in her lap, stroking his hair back from his face. As if their departure and her action had been some kind of cue, he began to stir. Managing a smile, she echoed the words he'd spoken to her barely three days ago.

"Hey Handsome; it's time to wake up."

The pained brown orbs that opened to hers were tinted with dampened amusement. "That's my line."

"Only if you're saying it to Jason."

Tommy's chuckled and winced as the pain in his shoulder continued to make itself known. "What happened?"

"You passed out when I pulled the arrow out – I never meant for it to hurt so much."

"It had to be done." Even injured he wouldn't assign the blame to her. "I'd have felt awful doing the same to you, but it wouldn't change the fact it needed to be done."

"Does it hurt as much?"

He cracked a pained half-smile. "Not as much as I would if I was unmorphed."

"That's something."

"Were you guys able to defeat the monster?"

"Yeah," unable to restrain herself, she stroked his cheek with her fingers. "He was no match for us once we destroyed his bow. Goldar ran away – like normal – so he'll be back, but hopefully not before you're healed."

"Thank Kim."

"For what?"

"Looking out for me."

"What, you think I'd _finally_ get to be your girl – officially – and let you get off easy?" Her smile was soft. "We're going to help you get better Tommy and once you are..."

Reaching up, he caught her fingers with his and laced them together, running his thumb over the back of her hand. "Once I'm recovered, Beautiful, I'm going to treat you like a Queen."

Bending, Kimberly twisted her body in one of those impossibly flexible gymnastic moves, and leaned down to kiss him. It was gentle, barely a whisper of a touch, but it made them both smile as she pulled back, the pain having faded – but not diminished from his brown orbs.

"You already do, Tommy."

_fin_


End file.
